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12 February 2016

Yosemite, Baby Food, Devil's Advocates, Bonus Nightmare(s)

We went to Yosemite last weekend.
I had never been before!
And fourth graders get into National Parks for free!
And Gabriel didn't have school on Monday!
And it was Super Bowl weekend, so the Yosemite Lodge was improbably affordable!
Anyhow, we packed up our car and drove to Yosemite Saturday morning, and I learned that Yosemite is not even very far away (about four hours drive, comparable to driving to Tahoe for us).
It is a place that is exceptionally beautiful in photographs, and then you get there, and it is EVEN MORE beautiful in person. Literally breathtaking. As in, my breath was taken away.

That low quality iPhone photo is just...what being there LOOKED like.
Anyhow, we had a very nice time. There was snow on the ground, and I guess some stuff was closed for winter, but I really have no basis of comparison.
We went on some of the easier hikes, went on a couple of self-directed driving tours, wandered through the visitor center museum, went ice skating, partook of the valley restaurants.
Now that I've been, I need to tell you that this is one of those places that, if at all feasible, you simply MUST see at some point in your life.
THE MAJESTY OF NATURE.
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Everett continues to be a good-natured delight.

He has also recently discovered his tongue.The last time I talked about feeding this baby, I said I was going to wait until six months, despite what I view as his developmental readiness.
That was a lie.
While this baby is just 4.5 months old, he is developmentally ready.
I mean, look at him:

Anyhow, we tried him on some bananas and he gulped them right down. There was no tongue thrusting the food out, no gagging, no confusion about what to do next. Food in mouth, food swallowed, food well digested, baby appeased.
He squawks for us to share at every meal.
His primary nutrition source remains breastmilk, but we pretty much give him tastes of whatever we're eating. He knows what's up, and he WILL be included.
The other night Quentin (intentionally) overcooked some cauliflower into mush for the baby, and the baby was DELIGHTED.
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You know the worst people? People who think the Devil needs an advocate. Kelly sent me this, and I could not love something more.

If you think that you should be an asshole because someone needs to represent the assholes of the world, you are terrible.
Please leave immediately.
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Two nights ago, Quentin traded cars with me while I was at work. That evening, I went out to my parking lot, opened up my husband's car, and prepared to drive away.
When I opened the driver's side door, I was greeted by this.

WHY.
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Everett will be 5 months old soon. For my own record he:
Sits
Rolls
Eats
Coos
Plays with toys

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Quentin took him to his 4-month appointment, which includes shots.
The reception desk at the pediatrician called me, at work, for my consent to give him those shots.
Despite the fact that he was taken to the doctor by his consent-giving parent who has the legal right to consent to his medical care.
Quentin is trying to parent this baby under an unfortunate combination of asshole assumptions:
- racism
- dads are useless and cannot provide meaningful care to infants
- probably some part of living in a part of the country where NOT vaccinating your kid is normal parenting.
There is no way anyone would ever call Quentin to double up on medical consent if I brought the baby to the doctor.
Quentin also reports that people ask the baby questions in a high pitched baby voice.
For instance, yesterday: "Where is your mommy? Is daddy taking a day off work and having a special daddy/baby day?"
Or, last week: "Look at you, do you look like your mommy? I bet you look like mommy!"
Gabriel, who is often in attendance, does a knock 'em dead impression of The Society of Nosy Ladies.
I'm not sure how I feel about that.